Registration Fee

• £200 non-refundable registration fee (£100) and deposit (£100) to secure a place

• £100 deposit to be applied on the first invoice on uptake of childcare place
• Registration fee will include your welcome pack provided at settle-in sessions

Bank Details

• Barclays, Curious Explorers Ltd

• Sort Code: 20-16-99
• Account number: 93091783

Payment of Fees

• Fees are payable monthly in advance by the 28th of each month

• Fees are calculated based on 51 weeks per year and divided by 12, resulting in equal monthly payments
• Extra hours or additional sessions are invoiced at the end of each month in which it was taken and needs to be settled by the due date stated on the invoice
• Please note there is no reduction in fees due to sickness or holidays
• Agreed days cannot be swapped on an ad-hoc basis (notice period to be followed)
• We accept all childcare vouchers and is registered to accept tax free childcare
• A month’s written notice needs to be provided for any changes in sessions which will take affect from the following month’s invoice; eg notice on 19 February will start from 1 April.
• Late charge will apply if fees are outstanding / paid late (see Payment terms and conditions)
• A late/early fee of £9 for every 5 minutes is payable outside of your agreed hours (please see Payment terms and conditions).

Invoicing

• Monthly invoices are sent out for each month ahead by email stating the amount due

Discounts

• Full Time (FT) 5 days a week (full day) discount apply until eligible for funding
• 5% Sibling discount is given for the oldest sibling/s and is not inclusive of Additional Fees
• Only one discount applies per household (oldest sibling/s)
• Discounts DO NOT apply to Additional Fees (meal and snack fees) or when eligible for funding, when standard daily rates apply

Other charges

• Fees are inclusive of breakfast, all snacks, lunch and tea up until the point your child qualify for funding or a discount, where Additional Fee charges will be applied separately (see funded offer)

• Fees are not inclusive of nappies, wipes or sun cream, this is provided by the parent

Disclaimer

Please note: Fees are review annually (but not limited to). However due to unexpected statutory and regulatory changes, out of our control, we are forced to reserve the right to review and adjust our fees outside of the usual schedule, with a minimum of one month’s notice.

Babies and Toddler Age Fees

Daily Rate (Until the term after child turns 3)

Non Funded Monthly fees: Under 3 (Until the term after child turns 3)

Additional fees are included

Funded Monthly fees: Eligible 22hrs (Until the term after child turns 3)

Additional fees are included

Preschool Age Fees

Daily Rate (Term after child turns 3)

Funded Monthly fees: Eligible 11 hours (Term after child turns 3)

Additional fees are included

Funded Monthly fees: Eligible 22 hours (Term after child turns 3)

Additional fees are included

ALL CHILDREN

Extra Sessions (ad-hoc)

Extra sessions needs to be booked or confirmed with the nursery manager or deputy manager directly, at the earliest opportunity. Subject to availability.

Funded offer

Early Years Funding

• Early Years Funding is a national scheme, administered by local authorities, which offer funded childcare hours with a registered Ofsted provider.
• Variety of funded hours are available depending on the child’s age and family’s situation.
• Childcare providers can choose HOW to offer the Early Years Funding if the following parameters are met:

              o Funded childcare cannot be longer than 10hours in a single day

              o Funded childcare must be accessed between 6am and 8pm

              o And a maximum of two childcare sites in a single day

How Curious Explorers offers Early Years Funding

• As an all-year-round childcare provider we STRETCH the early years funding across 51 weeks
• Stretched Hours:
• 11 hours per week over 51 weeks of the year
• 22 hours per week over 51 weeks of the year
• Funding is available in 10-hour blocks and begins when the nursery opens OR at the start of your selected timeslot (7am OR 8am)
• Where a parent is eligible for 11hrs funding per week and book 2 full days or more a week at the nursery, the remaining 1hr funding per week will be allocated to the second day.
• Where a parent is eligible for 22hr funding per week and book 3 full days or more a week at the nursery, the remaining 2hrs funding per week will be allocated to the third day.
• Families must pay for additional hours over their funded hours entitlement as set out in our Fee Structure.
• Fully funded places are available at our nurseries on a stretch offer only and can be identified on our fee structure (additional fee are non-mandatory)
• Information on all the Early Years Funding eligibility criteria can be found at: http://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk

Types of Early Years Funding

Supported Two-year-old funding

• When parents meet the eligibility requirements and the term AFTER the child turns 2, they might be entitled to funded hours.

• Once a child is in receipt of Supported Two-year-old funding, they will continue to receive funding (even if eligibility criteria have ceased) until the point of when they become eligible for Universal Funding.

• Only one type of Two-year-old funding can be claimed at a time.

Universal Three-and-Four-year-old Funding

• Funded hours are available for all 3- and 4-year-old children. We are required by regulation to check a child’s age prior to taking up a place.
• Parents need to provide either a birth certificate or passport, and copies will be kept by the nursery as evidence of compliance.

Working Families Funding

• Working Family Funding applies to working parents with children aged 9 months or older, 2yr, 3yr or 4yrs of age.
• Entitlement to funding for all these ages applies from the term AFTER they have attained this age and the eligibility criteria have been met (as set by the government).
• Parents must apply for eligibility from HMRC via the Childcare Service Account and will be provided with an eligibility code (if eligible). The eligibility code must be provided to the nursery for us to claim the funding (we cannot claim without this code).
• Parents are responsible for re-validating the eligibility code every 3 months when reminded by HMRC. If this is not done, it may result in funding being withdrawn by the local authority (and standard nursery rates will then apply).

Additional Fees

• Early Years funding is intended to cover the delivery of childcare only and it does not cover the cost of meals and snacks, non-food consumables, or additional hours. In order for us to cover the costs not included in the early years funding, we request parents to pay a nonmandatory, Additional fee charge for every day that childcare is in receipt of early years funding.
• Curious Explorers strongly advise families to not bring their own food (such as packed lunches) into the nursery to avoid allergen risks and storage/handling issues. Meals and snacks are charged separately as shown below.
• Parents who provide a packed meal option need to consult our Packed Lunch policy. Please note that meals and snacks would need to be delivered at certain times during the day as the nursery do not have sufficient storage space.
• Monthly Meal and Snack fees for Early Years Funded Session, Full day: £10.50

Booking Pattern

• If you claim 11 / 22 hours you must sign up for 12 months. If, during this time, you would to lose your eligibility to claim 11 / 22 hours (Early Years Funding), you will be held liable and you will be charged for the outstanding fees, charged at the nursery’s standard rates.
• Curious Explorers is unable to make permanent changes to the booking patterns within a term. A minimum of 1 months’ notice prior to the start of the new term is required.

Parent Declaration Form

• Parents needs to enter into a separate funding agreement, called the Parent Declaration Form, as required by regulation.
• Local Authorities require parents to enter into a Parent Declaration Form covering the Early Years Funding. This declaration form must be signed before the nursery is able to claim for funding. If parents failed to sign and RETURN the Parent Declaration Form prior to starting funding, funding cannot be claimed and our standard rates will then apply.
• Some local authorities require the Parent Declaration form to be signed yearly and some termly.
• Parents need to enter their full name, date of birth, national insurance number and HMRC eligibility code onto the Parent Declaration Form.

Required Documentation

• Regulation requires all childcare providers to obtain relevant documentation to evidence your child’s eligibility for the Early Years Funding as per below:

                o Supported 2yr old Funded Childcare:

                         o Birth Certificate/Passport;

                         o Confirmation of eligibility (LA confirmation email/letter or code)

                o Universal Funded Childcare:

                         o Birth Certificate / Passport

                o Working Families Funding:

                         o Birth Certificate or Passport;

                         o Parents full name, date of birth, national insurance number;

                         o HMRC eligibility code

• Depending on the local authority, additional information might be requested/needed.

Local Authority Role

• The nursery enters into an agreement with the Local Authority (LA) to provide the early years funding childcare. The nursery is paid directly by the LA for the funded hours provided only to all eligible children attending the nursery.